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What is a hard drive failure and why does it happen so often?

Hard drive failure happens when the hard disk drive on your computer fails to function properly and the information stored on your computer can no longer be accessed. This happens for a variety of reasons, ranging from hardware life expectancy to human error.

A hard drive is a mechanical device with moving parts that are subject to wear and tear. The parts operate with amazing precision and can be fragile. Hard drive failure can be gradual or sudden. Failure can happen during normal operations, or it can be due to an external cause like exposure to water, a liquid spill, a system or enclosure overheating, or a sharp impact. Sometimes it’s simply because parts have worn out. At other times they fail prematurely if there is a manufacturing defect. Some of the most common destructive forces that can damage your hard drive are:

  • Overheating and insufficient ventilation
  • Overworked hardware with no down time
  • Smoke or fire
  • Physical damage like any type of physical force like dropping
  • Power surges
  • Water damage
  • Corrupted files due to not closing a program properly before turning off your computer
  • Human error – like accidently deleting files that are imperative for the functionality of the disk drive

By being careful, you will be able to avoid the destruction of files that cannot be easily retrieved. Backing up your data is one of your very best protections against irrevocable damage. Call HB Computers at 714-969-3001 for professional advice.